The disclosure relates to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and a folding mechanism of aerofoil components for an unmanned aerial vehicle.
The design of UAVs has seen great advancement in recent years. The field grew mainly out of military development, where UAVs are commonly used for surveillance, but has expanded further into commercial uses, such as in delivery and filmmaking, which enforces a position at the forefront of technological research. UAVs have been developed in various forms, such as single- or multi-rotor helicopters or fixed wing aircraft. With the evolution of ever decreasing electronic and mechanical components, micro- and even nano-versions of UAVs continue to be developed.
One issue with the development of UAVs is that there are advantages to having large wingspans or sizeable rotors in comparison to their fuselage length. These advantages include the ability to create low drag fixed wing aircraft, which allow for long flight times. Any aircraft with a large span will cause problems when it comes to transportation, which has led to disassemblable and foldable designs.
It may be useful to transport the UAV in existing available storage, which in military uses, may be on larger aircraft, ships or submarines. Another problem arises when it comes to launch procedure. While launch devices are available for missiles and other munitions, they may not be available for specific UAV designs and it may not necessarily be possible to perform a horizontal takeoff.
It is therefore desirable to provide a UAV which overcomes some or all of the disadvantages associated with existing designs.